Megaton Xbox One rumours hint at new cheaper model before year's end

Some truly massive rumours surrounding the Xbox One have hit the internet over the last 24 hours, ostensibly outing Microsoft's plan to release a cheaper Xbox One model before the end of 2014 - with the intention of giving the PS4 a run for its money in a less-than-figurative sense.

Throwing fuel on the fire, Microsoft are reportedly trying to bring their legal eagles to bear on the source, while several major outlets are lining up with corroboration of their own. It could be absolute tosh, of course, but there's an interesting discussion to be had here regarding the console's hefty RRP.

The rumours originally popped up on NeoGAF (where else?), ostensibly originating from Microsoft-employee-turned-tipster ntkrnl. Beyond suggesting that a new Xbox One firmware update is scheduled for March, Halo 2 is getting an Anniversary Edition and Crackdown 3 is looking at a 2016 release window, the leaker claims that Microsoft are readying at least one new Xbox One console model for launch this year. Apparently a white version is scheduled to hit shelves alongside Sunset Overdrive in October packing a 1TB hard drive, perhaps accompanied by a price cut for the original Xbox One.

A significantly cheaper model has also been rumoured, though it's currently unclear whether this refers to the white unit or an entirely new SKU.

Microsoft could cut costs by cutting out the Blu-Ray drive, backed up by The Verge, who claims that the company has been testing a disc-free model. VG247 has also heard from a "senior publishing source" who confirms that Microsoft will release a cheaper console this year, and lower the price of the existing model to "rival the PlayStation 4." One easy way to bring the price down would be to remove Kinect from the package, but Microsoft has so far bullishly squashed any notions of doing so, since it would effectively crush the peripheral's chances in the long-term.

Kotaku alleges that Microsoft are already seeking to identify and prosecute the tipster, which is somewhat suggestive. Though, as always, please remember that these rumours are - by definition - rumours, and thus should be swallowed with a pinch of salt.

At £429.99, the Xbox One is certainly a pricey proposition, a factor that many gamers still find a barrier to entry. Would you buy an Xbox One if it was cheaper, or do you feel that it's already value for money?

Kotaku alleges that Microsoft are already seeking to identify and prosecute the tipster, which is somewhat suggestive. Though, as always, please remember that these rumours are - by definition - rumours, and thus should be swallowed with a pinch of salt.

Could be taken either way really, as Microsoft may be angry that they will lose money due to all sorts of factors, one of which may be people potentially waiting for a price drop, that may never happen as far as Microsoft are concerned.

They must need to do something surely as the PS4 is considerably cheaper and is demonstrably more powerful. Not that either of them have any dedicated releases worth buying for. Yet. Halo 2 Anniversary edition eh, see M$ are adopting Nintendo's marketing model. Good work there, no really. Don't get me wrong I'm the rose-tinted nostalgia purchasing king but I get the impression everyones got wise to this by now and is decidedly *meh*. I guess recycling still works. Not that I dont LOVE Halo 2 mind...

Anybody who buys into a discless Xbone, knowing what we do about Microsoft's intended vision for their console i.e. completely anti-consumer and totally locked down is an idiot; unless of course you are happy to pay £50+ per game from their store which would be your only source of games.

Whilst the discless version would be about bringing the price of the machine down (because the lower priced PS4 is absolutely killing them) it's as much if not more about trying to find another way to trap people on their system and remove their choices when it comes to game ownership, resale of games etc.

If the PS4 is a much bigger success due to being cheaper and more powerful, and the X1 then struggles comparatively due to price, then I blame the Kinect and if MS stubbornly won't remove it, I'll wait until it's £200 or under.

A disc-drive free console would not persuade me, no matter the low cost.

But secretly, I'll also be hoping someone makes a converter so that the X1 controller can be played on a PS4 anyway.

Anybody who buys into a discless Xbone, knowing what we do about Microsoft's intended vision for their console i.e. completely anti-consumer and totally locked down is an idiot; unless of course you are happy to pay £50+ per game from their store which would be your only source of games.

Whilst the discless version would be about bringing the price of the machine down (because the lower priced PS4 is absolutely killing them) it's as much if not more about trying to find another way to trap people on their system and remove their choices when it comes to game ownership, resale of games etc.

This is a whole other topic entirely, but both companies are setting up an infrastructure to make this the standard for next-gen (post PS4/X1) or one after. The sad thing is that consumers have been acclimatised to it and it won't take much for people to give up another level of control for "Killer Shoot Bang Bang Online Crush Destroy 5".
Sad.

Anyway, "why Jar-Jar Binks?" Because in all honesty I genuinely didn't notice him the first time I used the image, then found it so funny/vaguely OT (a major subject of controversy) I kept it in. TBH I tended to use that graphic as a general 'big news/controversy/handbags' header.